Trolling motor mount for inboard/outboard boats



Oct. 21, 1969 E. E. HOPPER 3,473,764

TROLLING MOTOR MOUNT FOR INBOARD/OUTBOARD BOATS Filed Jan. 8, 1968 INVENTOR ELVIN E. HOPPER US. "Cl. 2484 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mount for an outboard trolling motor for use on inboard/ outboard power boats is of generally L-shaped construction, the horizontal arm being formed with a V- shaped recess such that the sides of the V extend on opposite sides of the outboard drive unit of the inboard/ outboard power unit when the mount is in position. Clamp bolts on the horizontal arm and a hook-type lock bolt extending from the vertical arm secure the mount in position. The vertical arm is formed to mountably receive a conventional outboard trolling motor. A pad of resilient material is carried by the horizontal arm, and is provided with a recess corresponding to that of the horizontal arm.

This invention relates to improvements for inboard/ outboard power boats; more particularly, to a mount to support trolling motors of the conventional outboard type on such boats, as will hereinafter be described.

Inboard/ outboard power units for power boats are well known in the art. These power units generally comprise an inboard motor drivingly connected through the boat transom to an outboard drive unit which is mounted on the rear surface of the transom, the outboard drive unit being pivotable in much the same manner as a conventional outboard motor. Such inboard/outboard power units thus achieve the advantages of inboard motor type power and outboard motor type steering. When using such power boats for trolling, it is often desired not to propel the boat by the inboard/ outboard power unit. Therefore, this invention provides a removable motor mount whereby a conventional outboard motor, usually of substantially lower horsepower than the inboard motor of the boat, can be easily and removably mounted on the outboard drive unit of the inboard/ outboard power unit for use in trolling.

This invention, in a preferred form, comprises an L- shaped structure embodying a vertically disposed member adapted to support an outboard motor which is suitably conventionally secured to the upper end of the member. A horizontally disposed member has edges that are channelled or U-shaped when viewed from the ends. A rectangular piece of rubber having a V-shaped recess therein extends between these edges. The horizontal member has a corresponding V-shaped recess for receiving and embracing a portion of the outboard drive unit of the inboard/ outboard power unit. Clamping bolts and a U-shaped lock bolt secure the mount in position.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a trolling motor mount for inboard/outboard power boats of the character herein described that can almost instantly be locked to the outboard drive unit of any boat of the inboard/outboard power type without the necessity of drilling any openings therein or the using of any special bolts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a trolling motor mount for inboard/outboard power boats of the character herein described that embodies a rubber pad adapted to reduce the transmission of vibration normally caused by an outboard motor to the supporting structure of the boat to which the motor is secured.

* nited States Patent Still another object of this invention is to provide a trolling motor mount for inboard/outboard power boats of the character herein described that embodies only two bolts for the securement of the mount plus a forked U- shaped lock bolt that provides additional security in mounting :the outboard motor to the boat.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial exploded view of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of this invention securing an outboard trolling motor to an inboard/outboard power boat which, like the outboard trolling motor, is shown in phantom lines.

In the two views of the accompanying drawing, like parts of this invention are indicated by like reference numbers.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, it will be seen that the mount indicated generally at 5 consists of a horizontally disposed member 6 having a fiat metal top 7 in which is located a V-shaped recess 8 having a rounded apex 9. Each longitudinally disposed edge of the aforesaid member 6 is formed into an inwardly turned channel or U-shaped member 10 adapted to receive and hold the rectangular piece of rubber or the like 11 having a V- shaped recess 12 therein that generally corresponds to the aforesaid recess 8 in the fiat metal top 7, as is clearly shown in the above noted FIGURE 1 of the drawing.

Continuing to look at the drawing, it will be seen that a rectangular member 13 is vertically secured to one end of the aforesaid member 6 by means of two spaced and parallel triangular shaped gusset plates 14. A rectangular block of wood 15 or the like is secured by a plurality of screws 16 to the face 17 of the member 13. This is for the purpose of receiving the conventional supporting clamping structure of a conventional outboard motor 18. Two bolts 19 provide means of securing the previously mentioned horizontally disposed member 6 of this invention to the inboard/ outboard power boat 20. A forked U- shaped lock bolt 21, having a shank 22 embodying a threaded end 23 that is placed through the opening 24 in the lower end of the aforesaid vertically disposed rectangular member 13, has its other end terminating in a forked U-shaped end 25 that is hooked over one portion of the outboard drive unit 2012 of the inboard/outboard power unit 2011-2011 of boat 20, as one can when looking at FIGURE 2 of the drawings. A nut 26 is screwed onto the aforesaid threaded end 23 of the shank of the lock bolt 21 after the threaded end of the shank of the bolt has been placed in the opening in the member 13, as has in a way been previously described.

T o secure the mount to the outboard drive unit 20b, one merely places it in position such that the recess 8 receives the rearward portion of the outboard drive unit 2012, and the customary fins or flanges 20c on both sides of unit 20b are received in channels 10. Hooked portion 25 of lock bolt 21 is then hooked over a portion of unit 2012. Tightening of bolts 19 and nut 26 clamps the mount securely in position.

From the foregoing, it is seen that I have herein provided a trolling motor mount for inboard/outboard boats that not only meets the requirements of this invention as set forth in the objects, but also is subject to any changes and/or modifications one may care to make in the same in so long as the changes and/ or modifications fall within the scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. An outboard trolling motor mount for use in mounting an outboard trolling motor on the outboard drive unit of a boat equipped with an inboard/ outboard type power unit, comprising a generally L-shaped bracket including a generally horizontal arm connected with a generally vertical arm, said horizontal arm having a generally flat top formed with a recess extending from the front edge thereof rearwardly toward its connection with said vertical arm for receiving a portion of an outboard drive unit, means forming inwardly open channels along each side edge of said horizontal arm, adjustable means carried by said horizontal arm and projecting into said channels for clampingly securing the mount to an outboard drive unit of an inboard/outboard power unit, means forming a mounting block at the upper free end of said vertical arm for clampingly receiving and supporting an outboard trolling motor, and a member adjustably connected at one end to said vertical arm and extending forwardly therefrom and terminating in hook means for detachable attachment to an outboard drive unit of an inboard/outboard power unit.

2. A mount as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a sheet of resilient padding enclosed by said channels, and having a recess formed therein coincident with the recess formed in said horizontal arm.

3. A mount as claimed in claim 7 wherein said channels are formed by downturned longitudinal side elements of said horizontal arm, said side elements having inturned bottom flanges.

4. A mount as claimed in claim 7 wherein said recess formed in said horizontal arm is of generally V-shaped configuration with the point of the V directed rearwardly toward said vertical arm.

5. A mount as claimed in claim 10 wherein said arms are of generally rectangular configuration.

6. A mount as claimed in claim 11 further comprising at least one gusset plate disposed between and connected to said arms for bracing said vertical arm.

7. A mount as claimed in claim 11 wherein said adjustably connected member comprises a lock-bolt threaded at one end and formed with hook means at the other end, and said vertical arm has a hole through which said threaded end is passed to receive a correspondingly threaded nut-like member for adjusting said hook means relative to said vertical arm.

8. A mount as claimed in claim 13 wherein said hook means is bifurcated and forms two adjacent hooks.

9. A mount as claimed in claim 10 wherein said adjustable means comprise screw means located closely adjacent the forward end of said horizontal arm and projecting vertically into said channels adjacent said V-shaped recess.

10. An outboard trolling motor mount for use in mounting an outboard trolling motor on the outboard drive unit of a boat equipped with an inboard/outboard type power unit, comprising a generally L-shaped bracket including a generally horizontal arm connected at its rear end with a generally vertical arm, means forming a recess in said horizontal arm extending rearwardly from the front edge thereof for receiving the outboard drive unit of an inboard/outboard power unit such that portions of the horizontal arm on the sides of the recess extend forwardly to at least partially encompass the outboard drive unit therebetween, means for removably clamping the mount to an outboard drive unit, and means forming a mounting block at the upper free end of said vertical arm for clampingiy receiving and supporting an outboard trolling motor.

11. A mount as claimed in claim 16 wherein said means for removably clamping the mount to an outboard drive unit comprises means carried by said horizontal arm for clamping the horizontal arm to an outboard drive unit, and means carried by the vertical arm for adjustably connecting the vertical arm to an outboard drive unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,462 5/1959 Jagiel -17 188,292 6/1960 Olexiewicz 1154l KR 2,948,253 8/1960 Coonrod 248-4 XR 3,106,375 10/1963 Donaldson 248-4 FOREIGN PATENTS 650,282 10/1962 Canada.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner I. FRANKLIN FOSS, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

